1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a process and apparatus for producing bottled beverages. More specifically, it relates to a process and apparatus for efficiently purging air in the head space of the bottles containing the beverage with a non-oxidizing gas.
2. Description of Background Art
In the production of canned products, especially thin-wall-canned products, it has been proposed to apply internal pressure to the inside of the cans, thereby making the products resistant to mechanical pressure from the outside. Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 9183/77, for example, discloses a process in which before a non-sparkling beverage is charged into a metal can, the beverage is brought into contact with a mixed gas of carbon dioxide and nitrogen under pressure, thereby dissolving the mixed gas in the beverage.
Bottled products, on the other hand, generally require no such contrivance, and no proposals intended for such purposes have been made for bottled products. Japanese Patent Publication No. 23476/67 discloses a process which comprises injecting an inert gas in a liquified form into a bottle simultaneously with, or before or after, charging contents into the bottle so that the gaseous volume expansion of the liquified gas may be utilized. This process, however, is intended to prevent the deformation of a hollow, molded bottle of thermoplastic resin.